Nvl presentation - rognvaldur
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Transcript of Nvl presentation - rognvaldur
Research and Education Centres in
Rural Icelandlooking back over a decade
dr. Rögnvaldur Ólafssondirector
University of Iceland, Regional Research Centres
NVL SymposiumFaroes
The Nordic House21 September 2011
Will talk about:
• Background– Iceland– Population– Demographic changes
• Local education networks• Research centres of The University of
Iceland• Knowledge centres
Iceland
103.300 Km2
Population is very small
• 318.452• Iceland is basically a micro state• But a state with an ambition
– to be an educated, internationally minded society
• Expensive• Demanding on manpower• Requires education• The long literary
tradition helps
The demographic changes
The population multipliedduring the 20th century
Population of Iceland 1900-2011
1900 1906 1912 1918 1924 1930 1936 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 -
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
2X
2X
From 80 to 300 thousand
in 100 years
(Statistics Iceland, 2011)
They all went to Reykjavík
• In the rest of the country the population remained stable
• Only Akureyri increased its population somewhat
30. maí 2000
Population 1997and changes from 1987 to 1997
Stefán Ólafsson: Búseta á Íslandi,Byggðastofnun 1997
Size of circles shows the population size of urban nuclei. Colour of circles:
Red = negative; yellow = positive, below national average; green = positive, above national average.
Annual average population change by urban nuclei 2006–2011
(Statistics Iceland, 2011)
Iceland and the Nordic Countries
Norden i tal 2010
Population Areal km2Population
density pers/km2
Danmark 5.534.738
43.561 127
Finland 5.351.427
338.441 16
Island 317.630
103.300 3
Norge 4.858.199
323.782 15
Sverige 9.340.682
450.295 21
Much fewer people in IcelandMuch lower population density
But even more important
• There is only one densely populated area in Iceland, the capital region around Reykjavík
• A very large portion of the population lives there– Much larger portion than in the other
Nordic countries
3/4
During the last decade or two
big changes have occurred in Iceland, not
least in rural areas
The situation some decades ago
• Plenty of jobs in the basic industries that did not require education– Plenty of possibilities and plenty of money
for hard working, uneducated people• Consequently
– neither need for education– nor was it highly regarded
This has to be taken with a grain of salt !
The fishing industry....
Huge changes in the last 20 years
• Fundamental changes in the labour situation– A new fishing quota system– Mechanization of fish processing
• The abundance of well paid unskilled jobs disappeared
• With rationalization the skilled jobs tended to be transferred to the capital region
• People moved to Reykjavík as never before
... and farming
(Statistics Iceland, 2010)
Landbúnaður
Fiskið
naður
Annar iðnaður
Hótel- og ve
itingahúsarekstur
Fræðslu
starfs
emi 0
500010000150002000025000
1991 2000 2009
The development of some industriesfrom 1991 to 2009
Acriculture Fishing industry Other industry Hotels & restaurants
Education
The service industry grows
Heimild: Mikilvægi þjónustugeirans fyrir íslenskan þjóðarbúskap. Skýrsla unnin af viðskiptadeild Háskólans í Reykjavík fyrir SVÞ – Samtök verslunar og þjónustu. Katrín Ólafsdóttir og Vilhjálmur Wiium, Hagfræðisetur Viðskiptadeildar Háskólans í Reykjavík, 2006
Production
Commerce
Service
But much less in the regions
Source: Katrín Ólafsdóttir and Vilhjálmur Wiium, 2006
Production
Commerce
Service
RegionsCapital area Iceland
Great differencein educational level
• People with university degree:– About 25% in the capital region– About 15% outside the capital
• The need for education is recognised
Hefur þú þörf fyrir aukna þekkingu og menntun?
87,4
12,6
0 20 40 60 80 100
Já Nei
Do you need more education?
Yes
No
How can a sparsely populatedcountry like Iceland
ensure the availability of
education to all its inhabitants?
In 2000 the question was:
A grass root movementwas borne
• For increasing the availability of education– By using the possibilities of the new
technologies– Internet, ADSL, Video conferencing
• Local education networks were established in all regions– They were outside the official educational
system– They got special finance through the local
parliamentarians
The local education networks
• The networks were established in 1998 and have grown since
• They are:– now well established in the Icelandic
education scene– beginning to have an effect on the
Icelandic regional politics– based on the new technologies
http://www.fraedslumidstodvar.is/
Local education networks
• Independent, self governing• Basically networks• Participation:
– Local industry– Local authorities– Labour unions– Secondary schools– Universities
The facilities
• The larger centres have good access to internet – through a net set up with the assistance
of the Ministry of Education• Reading facilities• Facilities for group work• Student assistance and advice• Video conferencing • Cooperate with the universities
running a video bridge
Their emphasis
• The emphasis varies according to local needs and circumstances
• All levels of education– Continuing education– Secondary education– University education
• In Iceland the individual pays for his continuing education
The present state
• Considerable demand for the service• Lack of courses from the universities• The centres are financed by a yearly
fixed contribution from the ministry of education– The amount is not related to “output”– Decided from year to year
University of IcelandInstitute of Research Centres
• Research institute– Under the senate, not a department
• The contact point with the regions– local councils, institutes, private firms
and individuals
• A collection of small research units– independent
Háskólasetrið á HornafirðiHöfn og Kirkjubæjarklaustri
Rannsóknasetur HÍSuðurlandi, Selfossi og
Gunnarsholti
Rannsóknasetur HÍVestmannaeyjum
Háskólasetur SuðurnesjaSandgerði
Háskólasetur SnæfellsnessStykkishólmi
Rannsóknasetur HÍVestfjörðum
Bolungarvík og Patreksfirði
Rannsóknasetur HÍNorðvesturlandi
Skagaströnd
Rannsóknasetur HÍNorðausturlandi
Húsavík
Rannsóknasetur HÍAusturlandiEgilsstöðum
Nine research centres
Staff• Selected by same process as other
university staff
• Duties:– 80% research
– 20% other duties
• Recently signed contract with the department of Life and Environmental Sciences
Institute of Research Centres
• 2009• Turnover around 170 MIKR• 19 employes• Over 20 master and doctor students
Why situate researchin the regions?
Some important research is better done outside the capital region– Land use and preservation– Forestry research– The effects of glaciers– Research on birds– Snow avalance research– .........
Research policy depends on:
• Local facilities and interest– Natural and social
• Knowhow inside the University
• Fundamental research– Akademic, not applied research
Important:
• Carefully define field of study• Stick to it• Ensure quality of:
– research– teaching
• Form networks:– national– international
Húsavík• North Sailing News• February 25th 2011• Researches• Each year, researches of whales are becoming a
bigger part of Skjálfandi Bay • • Ever since North Sailing began offering regular
whale and nature watching in Skjálfandi Bay the company has striven to assist scholars and researchers, both Icelandic and foreigners, to perform various marine biology studies in the bay.
Vatnajökull National Park
Höfn and Þórbergssetur
The effectof the research centres
• New job oportunities in new fields• Research that otherwise might not
have been done• Projects connected with culture and
new employment• Close cooperation with the University• Local and foreign researchers and
students• Impact on local life
Knowledge activitiesin the regions
• Local Education Centres• Research Centres of the University of Iceland• Natural history institutes• Branch offices of research institutes
– Marine Research Institute– Icelandic Fisheries Laboratories
• Agricultural service institutes• Regional Environmental Research Institutes• Business and Regional Development Centres• ................
This activity forms a few nets
• Each with their own properties– Local educational networks – teaching
and training– Research centres – mostly academic
research– Natural history institutes - mostly
applied research– Regional development agencies -
development, employment, innovation
How can this activitysupport
research, educationand
developmentin the regions?
Research Continuingeducation
University TeachingCentre
KnowledgeCentre
Distanceeducation
Localeducation
The knowledge centres are centres of cooperation
Þekkingarnet Austurlands, Egilsstöðum
Þekkingarsetur Þingeyinga, Húsavík
Háskólafélag Suðurlands ehf, SelfossiHáskólasetur Vestfjarða, Ísafirði
Þekkingarsetur Vestmannaeyja
Extensive cooperation• The aim is to house in one building all
knowledge related activity in the area• Create a community of the people
working in the so called „information sector“
• Collective facilities and service
Nýheimar, Höfn
Examples
• Þekkingarnet Þingeyinga– http://www.hac.is/
• Þekkingarnet Austurlands, ÞNA– http://tna.is/
• Háskólafélag Suðurlands, HfSu– http://www.hfsu.is/
http://www.hac.is/english/
Lifelong learning• a centre for lifelong learning and adult education• expand educational offering• offer vocational and recreational courses and
study programmes• be a centre for distance learning in co-operation
with schools offering such programmes• provide guidance and counselling to students and
prospective students• work with businesses, municipalities and
institutions in shaping their educational policy and provide customized study programmes
Research and development
• a hub for research and researchers in Þingeyjarsýslur county
• initiating research in the region• provide service to the scientific community;
independent researchers, postgraduate students, institutions and organizations
• facilitate co-operation and increased activity among those who do research in the region
• take active part in shaping a dynamic environment of innovation in the region
• facilitating collaboration in research and innovation
University study
• operate a well equipped study facility in Húsavík and, as needed, elsewhere in the region
• work with universities to increase the offering in distance learning and local study opportunities in Þingeyjarsýslur
• work with universities to develop study programmes and courses based on natural and cultural traits unique to the region
Coordination of academic studies and research
• Strengthen the community in Þingeyjarsýslur by offering dynamic lifelong learning programmes, distance learning programmes and active research
• coordinate research, academic work, education and development among the parties of interest in this field
Local teaching
• Distance master courses from the School of Education at the University of Iceland– Two courses
• Quantative Research Methods (5 ECTS)• Qualitative Research Methods (5 ECTS)
• Local groups of students• Local assistant lecturers• Meet once a week for tutorial and
assistance
Supporting localtourism
• Weak easterly part• Analysed the
situation• Strengthen the
tourism industry• Lengthen the
tourist season• Establish a geopark
• Networking local operators• Courses in geotourism and local geography for local
guides• Master courses with foreign students in cooperation
with the University of Iceland
Katla Geopark – Geological Map of Area
Katla Jarðvanguror
Katla Geopark
Admitted into European Geopark Network and Global Geopark Network last Friday
Effect of knowledge centres on employment and innovation
• Considerable in some places– Nýheimar Höfn
– Átaksverkefni Háskólafélags Suðurlands
• The tendency goes this way
• In most places better cooperation and contact has still to be built up
From Erla Björk Örnólfsdóttir, Sjávarrannsóknasetrinu Vör, Ólafsvík
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Num
ber o
f job
s
Year
New research jobs in Snæfellsnes
VörHSNSVÞSHafró
Evaluation• Too limited• General lack of research on
regional development in Iceland
• In 2010 a study on the number and turnover of regional activities in the field of:– Education and training– Research and development– Culture– Service and consulting
http://www.menntamalaraduneyti.is/frettir/Frettatilkynningar/nr/5550
Regional employment
Áfangaskýrsla um þekkingarsetur á Íslandi. Ministry of Education and Culture Oct. 2010
Area Nr. of workplaces
Nr. of employees
Nr. of whole year positions
Permanent positions
Temporary positions
West 25 136,1 91,6 73,0 63,1
Westfjords 24 202,0 76,6 58,0 144,0
Northwest 32 98,1 72,9 58,5 39,6
Northeast 35 160,5 114,4 100,7 59,8
East 32 105,2 76,1 63,2 42,0
South 33 124,5 89,2 75,8 48,7
Southwest 8 38,0 31,4 30,0 8,0
Total 189 864,4 552,2 459,2 405,2
Some results
Educational level of staffPersons Ratio
Ph.D 60 6,9%Master 172,9 20,0%Diploma 69,5 8,0%General university degree 202,7 23,4%Secondary education 91,5 10,6%Technical education 61,5 7,1%Other 206,3 23,9%Total 864,4 100%
Total turnover: 5.052.234.000 IKR
How can a small and sparsely populated country
as Icelandensure jobs for educated people
in all regions?
In 2011 the question is:
The communities need
• Similar diversity as big places– in employment
– socially
• Young, educated people
• A better self image
Rural development
• A clear policy is needed
• The solutions need to be local, not imported from Reykjavík or abroad
dr. Rögnvaldur ÓlafssonInstitute of Research CentresUniversity of IcelandSæmundargötu 2, 101 Reykjaví[email protected]